All The Time In The World
by xoxEllexox
Summary: Sequal to 'Still Alive and Kicking'. In the aftermath of an explosion, how will those left surviving cope and go on with their lives?
1. Chapter 1

**_Well, here's the sequal of the sequal. _**

**_If you haven't red my fics 'Deterioration of the Fight or Flight Response' or 'Still Alive and Kicking' then you will have no idea what's going on. So go read them!_**

**_The fic's dedicated to Pippy, Joey and Clai. All three always help and are awesome._**

**_xoxElle_**

**_P.s. Yes, this will be another long fic hopefully. _**

* * *

_"There can be no good without evil."  
~Russian proverb_

* * *

The first thing Ari Haswari noticed that his head really hurt. The second thing were cries from the room behind him, and the fact he could smell burning wood. His eyes shot open and he stood up, looking around and seeing half of Tony and Ziva's house in ruins and people lying around the room. His first instinct was to look for Kate, but he knew that he had to go see if all the children were alright, she would kill him if he didn't.

He quickly made his way into the next room, the conservatory, which was untouched by what he assumed was a bomb that had gone off. He saw that his three month old daughter Mady, was crying loudly in her portable crib next to Jenny and Gibbs one year old daughter Hailey and Bonnie and Brendan's 9 month old Denny. As he stepped over the playpen fence, Tony and Ziva's two and a half year old Quads, Gibbs and Jenny's three year old son Riley and McGee and Abby's two year old daughter all surrounded him, screaming and crying as he picked up Mady and Denny, resting Hailey against his hip so he could carry all three and opened the small gate.

"Take each other's hand" Ari said quickly to the children, making sure that all of them held hands "Go out the door and wait there until I come get you" He said opening the back door and making sure they were all out before he placed Hailey and Mady in the two baby seats that sat out there.

As he went back into the house he could hear sirens coming in the distance. He ran into the lounge room and saw that the glass from the large window was shattered and that the three couches were overturned. He saw 19-year-old Bonnie DiNozzo-Gibbs stir and open her eyes.

"What the hell just happened?" She asked sitting up and looking around, a hand pressed to her head. She noticed a bruised and bloodied 20-year-old Brendan Gibbs lying a few feet from her and frantically crawled to him, seeing her brother, Andy lying on his side next to him.

Bonnie checked Brendan's pulse; it was slow, but steady so she attempted to shake him awake, but he didn't budge. She quickly spun on her knees to Andy, rolling him on his back and finding his blank eyes staring back up at her. She shook his shoulders forcefully, her eyes welling up with tears "You are not going to die on me today Andy!" She yelled, but his blank eyes just continued to stare up at her lifelessly, blood on the side of his head where a large gash was showing.

Across the room at the same time, Ari found Jenny lying on her back with her eyes closed looking peaceful. He checked her pulse and sighed sadly when he found none, running a hand over his face before standing up and looking around. He looked over and found Bonnie shaking Andy furiously, trying to wake him up.

He turned again and saw McGee pushing himself up and dusting the dirt and dust off himself. Ari watched as McGee rushed over to Abby, who groaned as McGee shook her awake.

Ari scanned the room, seeing Ziva, Tony, Gibbs and Vincent lying in different places around the room throughout the rubble. But, he didn't see Kate, Cole or Faith, Cole's girlfriend. He heard a groan coming from underneath the overturned couch not far from where he was standing. He made his way over and flipped it back to the right way, finding Cole and Kate lying underneath. Cole's eyes opened drearily and he looked around.

"What happened?" He asked, he looked next to him, on the side where Ari wasn't helping an unconscious Kate out of the rubble "Where's Faith?"

"I do not know Collin" Ari said, brushing dust off Kate's face and trying to wake her.

"Ari!" McGee yelled from across the room. Ari looked up and saw Abby rushing towards where Gibbs was lying and shaking him awake, tears running down her face, her pigtails lopsided. "Where are the kids?"

"They are outside" Ari told him "They are all fine. Whatever has happened did not read the conservatory."

McGee nodded and went towards Tony and Ziva, who were both lying partially on top of each other unconscious amongst the rubble.

The sirens became louder, fire trucks, police cars and ambulances pulling up outside the large hole at the front of the room, paramedics rushing in and separating to different people.

Cole got up and went to where Bonnie was sitting silently and shook her shoulder, looking wide-eyed at Andy's body.

"Is he...?"

Bonnie nodded, attempting not to let the tears fall "Yeah" She said quietly.

Cole went around and crouched down on the other side of Andy, putting his hand over Andy's open eyes and closing them, tears welling up in his own eyes as he ran a hand through his hair, not caring that blood was covering it.

Bonnie turned to Brendan just as the paramedics got to him, she held his hand tightly in hers, only letting go when they loaded him onto a stretcher. As they took him out of the room, Bonnie saw them begin CPR on him, she really wanted to go with him, seeing as he was her husband, but she knew she needed to stay at the house with Denny. Her eyes suddenly widened and she stood, spinning to face the others in the room.

"Uncle Ari, where are the kids?" She asked loudly over the noise. Like her mother, she hardened her face and blanked any emotion from it. It was easier to deal with things if she felt strong enough to do so. Ari was busy helping the paramedics getting Kate on a stretcher, so the seemingly un-injured McGee walked to her.

"They're outside Bonnie, they're fine" He said quietly. Bonnie took a deep breath and nodded.

"Is everyone else ok?" She asked trying to brush her wavy, mattered with blood hair out of her face.

McGee shook his head "Jenny didn't make it" He said, making Bonnie take a deep breath "Ziva, Kate and Gibbs are still out. And they just found Faith under the rubble, I'm not sure how she is"

Bonnie nodded, looking to where Cole was kneeling next to Faith with Vincent, who had a large gash on his head, helping with the medics to get Faith on a stretcher.

"What about over with you?" McGee asked.

Bonnie's eyes welled up again "Andy died" She said bluntly, swallowing so she wouldn't cry "Brendan's...I don't know. I didn't go to the Hospital with him" She said "I need to go see Denny"

McGee nodded and let her go, turning around to go help the others.

When Bonnie got outside she saw that Abby was already out there, holding Carmella while sobbing. Bonnie picked a sleeping Denny up from the baby seat and kissed his head, looking around the yard and seeing that all the kids were there, playing as if nothing was going on. She looking in one of the other baby seats and saw Violet, smiling a large grin like her fathers. Bonnie leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"I am so sorry Vi" She murmured.

Abby looked at her, "Why are you sorry?" She asked in a low, hoarse voice.

Bonnie looked down "Andy...He-"

"Oh" Abby whispered, more tears running down her cheeks.

Bonnie kissed the top of Denny's head softly and walked to sit down where the Quads were playing, Abby following a moment later and looking at her cheek.

"Bonnie, you should get checked out by the medics" Abby said quietly, looking at the large gash on her cheek.

Bonnie shook her head "I'm fine" She said "I've had worse...I think I'll drive to the hospital now..."

* * *

There is always alot of commotion at the hospital when the NCIS agents are involved. They're at the hospital so often most of the staff know them reasonable well, so when they got the call that many of them had been injured, they got every on-call attending down to the ER.

It only took a few minutes after the call for the first person to be rolled in by a paramedic.

"Brendan Gibbs, 20 year old male, lacerations all over him, broken ribs and a severe concussion, massive internal injuries and a possible spinal injury. He's already flat lined twice on the way over here"

Dr. Samuels, the general surgeon, quickly wheeled Brendan into an exam room with around 6 other interns and residents. A large group were still waiting in the ER, getting odd looks from the other patients in there.

"Ziva DiNozzo, 32 year old female, broken arm, possible internal injuries, large laceration to her head, in and out of consciousness on the way here"

"Faith Rogerson, 18 year old female, obvious blow to the head, lacerations all over her body, massive internal injuries"

"Kate Haswari, 35 year old female, broken ribs, lacerations to her arms and torso and a small piece of wood is stuck in her leg"

"Timothy McGee, 30 year old male, collapsed at the scene, possible head injury…"

* * *

**_You'll have to wait until the next chapter to find out who else wont survive..._**

**_Review!_**

**_xoxElle_**


	2. Chapter 2

**_I know, I haven't updated for a bit, I had writers block and blah blah blah._**

**_Your reviews rock!! Keep them coming!!_**

**_Ok, so some of you asked for a cheat sheet to remember who some of the characters are, so here it is:_**

Andy DiNozzo, Bonnie DiNozzo-Gibbs, Cole DiNozzo – Ziva's triplets. Tony adopted them.

Faith Rogerson – Cole's fiancée

Vincent Cooper – Andy's boyfriend

Brendan Gibbs – Bonnie's husband. Gibbs and Jenny's adopted son.

Denny Gibbs– Bonnie and Brendan's son.

Madelyn Haswari– Ari and Kate's daughter.

Isobel (Is), Nickolas (Nick), Leonardo (Leo), Dexter (Dex) DiNozzo – Tony and Ziva's Quads.

Carmella McGee – Abby and McGee's daughter

Riley and Hailey Gibbs – Gibbs and Jenny's son and daughter.

**_Okay, there are the OCs. So, read on less confused!_**

**_xoxElle_**

* * *

_Crime butchers innocents to secure a prize. And innocence struggles with all its might against the attempts of crime_

* * *

Attempting to round up four two and a half year olds and get to the hospital with a dislocated shoulder is not something Tony DiNozzo would consider an easy thing to do. So once he finally got all four of his quads buckled into the car he turned and found Ari, who was un-injured and holding his baby daughter Madelyn and offered to drive him.

When they got to the hospital they found everyone else already there in the waiting room, well, everyone who was somewhat uninjured at least.

Tony looked around and noticed Abby holding Carmella to her chest and tears running down her face. Next to her sat Gibbs, with Riley and Hailey in a stroller in front of him.

Tony guided the Quads over to his Boss, who looked up at him when he reached him.

"I'm sorry Boss" Tony said quietly. Gibbs shook his head.

"Wasn't your fault Tony" He said looking down at Hailey, who was fussing in her seat, so he picked her up and sat her in his lap, running a hand over her red hair "I'm sorry about Andy"

Tony looked down and scratched the back of his neck with his good arm, closing his eyes and swallowing "Yeah...It hasn't sunk in yet. I still have to tell Ziva"

Gibbs nodded, looking back down at Hailey who was sucking on the ear of her small pink teddy, then looked at Tony again. "How is she?"

Tony shrugged, running a hand through his hair "The paramedics took her before I got the chance to see if she was alright"

* * *

Bonnie and Cole sat in the corner of the waiting room, Denny was sleeping in Bonnie's arms as the two out of three triplets stared at nothing.

"He's really dead, isn't he?" Cole said, leaning forward with his hands on his knees.

Bonnie swallowed "Yep" She said quietly.

The two looked over at Vincent, who was struggling to stop Violet crying as he tried to keep himself composed.

Bonnie stood and gently handed Denny to Cole "Hold him for a second" She said before walking over to Vincent.

"Here" She said picking Violet out of his arms and calming her down. Vincent ran his hands over his face, his eyes bloodshot.

"She won't calm down, she keeps asking for him...and I don't know what to do" He said quietly "What happened?"

Bonnie bounced Violet on her hip "We think it might have been a bomb. Another team from NCIS are processing the scene...and ah, Ducky's with Jenny and Andy" She said quietly.

She moved the almost asleep Violet from her hip and handed her to Vincent, who took her and hugged her to him.

Suddenly five doctors walked into the waiting room, making all the adults stand and walk to them, most of the children in the corner of the room where toys and childrens books were set up.

"Who is the family for Brendan Gibbs?" The tall, brunette doctor asked.

Bonnie and Gibbs stepped towards the woman, who took them to the side to speak with them.

"I'm his wife" Bonnie said "And he's his Dad"

Dr. West nodded "Brendan has had severe damage done to his legs, and we're trying the best we can to make sure that he doesn't lose the use of them. We also have to remove his spleen and he has several broken ribs"

"Will he be okay?" Bonnie asked. Gibbs stood next to her and didn't say anything, gripping the coffee in his hand hoping that he wouldn't lose his son as well.

The doctor frowned slightly "We're doing the best we can. I'll come out and update you when I can"

Bonnie and Gibbs nodded, so the doctor quickly made her way back towards the OR's, most of which were filled with members of their dysfunctional family.

Bonnie looked around and noticed Cole sitting back in his seat with his head in his hands. She went over to him and squeezed his knee.

"Is Faith okay?" She asked.

"She's in a coma. And life support…They told me to call her family" He said before standing and walking away.

* * *

"How's she doing?" Tony asked the doctor who had taken him to the side of the room to talk.

"She has a broken arm and we've ruled out any other internal injuries. But she has a severe concussion which could lead to complications, so we'll keep an eye on her for the next few days" Dr. Hayes, one of the doctors that took care of his kids when they were born, said.

"So she's alright?" He asked. Dr. Hayes smiled and nodded.

"She's asking for you" She said, leading Tony down the hall to the room Ziva had been put in.

When Tony entered the room Ziva's head rolled on her pillow to look at him, a look on her face that showed she knew that not everyone survived what had happened.

Tony stood at the end of the hospital bed and leaned on his good hand against it.

"Zi…I need to tell you something, and I need you to stay calm, because you're hurt, and I can't lose you too" He said, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Who died Tony?" She asked bluntly. He scratched the side of his head absentmindedly and took a breath.

"Jenny didn't make it" He said, making Ziva close her eyes and nod.

Tony moved around to the side of the bed, putting a hand on her shoulder and squeezing gently.

"Andy didn't make it either" He said quietly.

Ziva's eyes opened and stared up at him. He could see the tears in her eyes, so he leaned down to press his lips against her forehead.

"I'm sorry Zi" He whispered.

"Please leave Tony" She said quietly.

He stood up straight and nodded, leaving the room without looking back, knowing she needed her space. When he left Ziva rolled onto her side and buried her face into the pillow and letting the silent sobs wrack her body.

* * *

Tony walked into the waiting room slowly and looked around, seeing the members of his family scattered in different parts of the room. He looked in the corner and saw his four quads, previously quints, playing happily with toys with Riley Gibbs and Carmella McGee.

He walked over to where Ari was sitting with Madelyn asleep in his arms. He brother in laws sat in silence before Tony asked;

"How's Kate doing?"

Ari looked at him "They are taking her out of surgery now. They said she will make a full recovery"

Tony nodded and looked straight ahead again "That's good"

"How is Ziva?" Ari asked, shifting Mady in his arms when she made a noise in her sleep.

"I told her about Andy. She wanted to be alone" Tony said quietly. Ari nodded and both fell into silence once more.

* * *

Abby looked up as Bonnie sat down next to her and wiped away her tears on her sleeve.

"How are you Abby?" Bonnie asked quietly.

"I should be asking you that, it's your brother who died" She snapped. Bonnie just nodded.

"I know…But you two were close, and your husband is in surgery-"

"So is yours"

"-I know. But you looked like you needed someone to talk to" Bonnie finished. Abby looked at her in disbelief.

"How can you be this calm? Your brother was killed! And your husband could be dying! How can you be so calm about this?!" Abby yelled as she stood up, making everyone in the room look at her.

Gibbs stood up and walked over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. But she quickly snapped out of his grasp.

"And you!" She said angrily at Gibbs "Your wife died! And you're being all cold hearted and un-caring!" She said. Gibbs just stood in front of her and waiting for her to break from her anger. She swallowed thickly and flung herself at him in a tight hug "I'm really scared Gibbs"

Bonnie was sitting silently, her eyes fixed on the floor and her hands in fists by her side. She quickly stood up and went over to lift Denny out of his pram and quickly made her way out of the waiting room.

* * *

Tony couldn't stand it in the waiting room any longer.

He couldn't leave Ziva alone in her hospital room, so he asked Ari to keep an eye on his kids and quickly made his way down the hall, finding Ziva crying into her pillow.

He made his way over and sat on the bed next to her. She immediately rolled over, his good arm going around her and she buried her face into his shirt.

"What happened?" She asked, her voice scratchy and soft.

He ran his hand down her arm and kissed the top of her head "We think it was a bomb" He said "We'll get whoever did this"

Ziva nodded tiredly, so Tony thought she was going to sleep, but the machines around them started beeping loudly, and Ziva began seizing next to him.

He was shoved out of the room by nurses and Doctors, leaving him staring into the room as the doctors put the defibrillator to his wife's body.


	3. Chapter 3

_Let your heart feel for the afflictions and distress of everyone_

* * *

Bonnie sat against the wall outside the emergency room doors, Denny sleeping against her with his little head resting in the crook of her neck as she took slow, deep breaths to keep herself calm.

She could feel that her chest was tight, and she was desperately trying to stop her body from shaking. She really couldn't deal with a mental break down right now, she needed to be strong for Denny. For everyone.

Suddenly the emergency room doors a few metres from her flew open, Tony quickly walked out, running the hand from his good arm through his hair.

Bonnie carefully stood up, trying not to wake 9-month-old Denny as she did. She quickly walked over to where Tony was pacing back on fourth.

"Dad? What's happened?" She asked, grabbing his good arm to make him look at her.

Tony swallowed thickly. "They've taken Ziva into surgery, they think her brain's swelling from the concussion"

Bonnie looked down and nodded. "They told me that Brendan might not walk again"

Tony looked at his adoptive daughter and wrapped his arms around her, making sure not to crush Denny between them.

"Today's sucked" Bonnie mumbled into Tony's shirt.

Tony kissed the top of her head before stepping back. "We should go back inside" He said.

Bonnie shifted Denny as he began to wake and took a breath, shaking her head as she did. "I can't"

Tony frowned. "Bonni-"

She shook her head. "I have to go get a bottle for Denny and change him" She said. "All my stuff's in my car"

Tony nodded. "I should probably get something for your brothers and sister, I guess"

Bonnie nodded and went to turn around when she heard her step-father say;

"You can't be closed Bonnie. You have to cry" He said quietly. "Andy died"

Bonnie took a deep breath through her nose, keeping her mouth tightly shut and continued to walk to her car, leaving Tony standing in the dim light behind her.

* * *

"Daddy, where's Momma?" Isobel asked as she was sitting on Tony's lap ten minutes later. Tony, Abby, Vincent and the kids had migrated to the cafeteria and had gotten food, but no-one was particularly hungry.

Tony ran a hand over Is's head of dark brown hair. "She's with the doctors"

Leo was sitting with his two brothers on the floor next to Tony's chair and looked up at him. "Where's Bee?" He said, using the nickname he had been calling Bonnie since he could talk.

"I'm here buddy" Bonnie said walking up to them, Denny resting against her chest and looking around at everyone with his big, green eyes.

Tony looked up at her and noticed that her eyes were red and frowned, her eyes quickly diverting and going back to looking at her younger siblings.

"Denny's pram is over with Abby" Vincent said from where he was sitting next to Tony on the circular table, Violet asleep against him. Bonnie nodded and looked to where Abby was sitting with Carmella sleeping against her, Denny's pram sitting next to them.

"Where's Uncle Ari?" She asked, sitting down in the chair on the opposite side of Tony, resting Denny on the table and holding his little hands to keep him sitting upright.

"He went into see Kate a few minutes ago" Tony said, moving to put Is on the ground with her brothers, the pain in his arm making him wince.

"What about Gibbs?" She asked quietly.

"I think he went home" Vincent said. "He said something about his boat"

"I'm going to go check on Cole" Tony said as he stood up. "Can you look after the kids?" He asked as he put a hand on Bonnie's shoulder.

She nodded and looked down at her little brothers and sister, who were completely oblivious as to what was going on around them.

She envied them.

* * *

Kate was awoken by the feel of a hand tracing down the side of her face. Her eyes fluttered open, being greeted by Ari's sad face and her daughter sleeping peacefully in her pram.

"What happened?" Kate asked quietly, her hand coming up to brush some hair out of her face.

Ari frowned. "We believe there was a bomb. Andy and Jenny did not make it, and Ziva, Brendan and McGee are all in surgery"

Kate stared at him for a while before closing her eyes and letting her head fall to the side. "What about everyone else?"

"All the children were unharmed, the others have cuts and bruises" He said, his hand moving so he could slowly trace a finger down the side of her face, ghosting over a cut to her cheek. "I am glad you are alright"

Kate put her hand over his and looked at him. "Mady wasn't hurt? At all?"

Ari smiled slightly. "I checked Madelyn many times, I can assure you she is perfectly healthy" He said, moving in his chair so he could pick up Mady from her pram and settling her into her mother's arms.

Kate smiled and touched Mady's cheek gently and kissed the top of her head, closing her eyes and smiling softly before frowning again.

"Can we go see the others?" She asked, then realized the large bandage around her leg. "I guess not"

Ari followed her line of vision and frowned. "A piece of wood went into your leg when the explosion happened"

"Ouch" She murmured, making a small smirk appear on Ari's face.

"Indeed" He said. "The doctors have given you morphine"

Kate nodded, shifting Mady so she was resting more comfortable against her. "That probably explains why I feel fuzzy"

Ari laid his head on Kate's arm and closed his eyes. Kate's hand moved to run through Ari's hair as he fell asleep in the chair. Mady made a noise of displeasure from getting no attention.

Kate turned her around and held her to her chest, kissing the top of the little girl's head.

"It's okay" Kate whispered. "It's okay…"

* * *

Ducky Mallard walked quietly down the stairs to the basement of Gibbs' house not long after Kate had woken up. He looked at the basement and noticed that the only light that was shining was the one that hung above the space where the 'Jenny' once sat. He noted that Gibbs was sitting on the small armchair in the corner of the room, a half empty bottle of bourbon residing in his hands.

"Jethro, where are Hailey and Riley?" Ducky asked once he reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Bed" Gibbs said, taking a long drink from the bottle in his hands.

Ducky sighed. "Don't do this to yourself Jethro" He said sadly.

Gibbs looked up at his friend. "She was pregnant" He said, his voice starting to slur from the bourbon.

Ducky sat down on the stool in front of him. "I know" He said. "I just completed the autopsies on Jennifer and Andrew, both died from the explosion"

Gibbs looked at the bottle in his hands for a long moment before placing it on the ground by his feet.

"Brendan's in surgery" Gibbs said as he stood. "Got to get back to the hospital"

Ducky stood and placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "You have had far too much to drink. You are not fit to drive"

Gibbs just walked past him and headed up the staircase, before walking up the next set of stairs and into the bedroom where Riley little bed and Hailey's crib were. He went over and made sure Riley was tucked in still before going over to Hailey's crib and running a hand over the little girl's head of bright red hair.

He moved towards the dresser and turned, facing his two sleeping children before sitting down on the floor and closing his eyes.

* * *

Cole sat in the darkness, the only light coming from the moon above him as he leaned his head against the cold cement of Hilary's grave stone.

"I can lose her too" He murmured into the air. "I hope you're taking care of Andy wherever you guys are, I mean, he'll need someone to hang out with"

Cole sighed and moved around so he was sitting in front of the grave. "I miss you more everyday" He whispered.

"Cole?" A voice called from the distance.

Cole stood up and looked around, trying to discreetly wipe the tear away that was running down his cheek. He watched as his step father slowly walked up to him, his clothes still ripped from the explosion and his arm confined in a sling.

"How'd you know I was here?" Cole asked.

Tony shrugged. "Lucky guess"

Cole looked at the ground. "I just needed someone to talk to" He said. "How is everyone?"

"Your mother's in surgery again. Kate's out and fine. Everyone else is still where they were three hours ago" Tony said. "I haven't heard anything on Faith yet"

Cole was silent for a moment before taking a slow, deep breath. "I'm terrified, Dad"

Tony nodded and wrapped his son in a one-armed hug. "Me too"


	4. Chapter 4

**_This is it. It's finished. I can't really believe it. _**

**_Thank you. All of you, who have stuck by this since the beginning. All your reviews and e-mails kept this fic going._**

**_Pippy, if it weren't for you, this chapter wouldn't excist. You're the greatest best friend ever for poking me with that flag. _**

**_So...Review, tell me what you think about this final chapter. _**

**_But, who knows, the tale of the Triplets, Ziva and everyone else may not be over. We'll just have to wait and see. _**

**_Thanks guys :)_**

**_xoxElle_**

**_

* * *

_**

"In life, unlike chess, the game continues after checkmate."  
_~Issac Asimov_

* * *

Bonnie sighed and placed her shaking fingers on the keyboard, listening to the bustling from the room next door where a day she will never forget was just starting to happen.

* * *

_It's been five years since the explosion that both destroyed our family and brought us closer together. We lost our loved ones and received extensive injuries to our bodies and minds, and we'll have to carry those scars with us for the rest of our lives. I__'__m only 24, and I__'__ve had to live through things that no-one should live through._

_So, that__'__s why I__'__ve written this book, to show the world that even through the worst things imaginable, family will always be there to support you in the end. _

_The explosion killed my brother, Andrew DiNozzo, the Director of NCIS Jennifer Gibbs and her unborn child, as well as my brother Col__e's girlfriend,__ Faith Rogerson._

_I__'__m one third of a triplet, and only one tiny part in the group that is my family, and when that explosion happened, every single one of us felt the effect of the loss. My mother, the strongest person I__'__ve ever known, lost another son, the man I know as my Uncle lost his wife and child for the second time, and my brother lost another love of his life. I lost a brother, my step-father lost a step-son, my husband lost the woman who he'll always consider his mother, my Aunt and Uncles lost friends, the cutest kids I know lost parents and the wisest guy I know lost the closest thing he's had to a daughter and grandson. _

_And to those who survived and now walk with the battle scars are the ones who give me the biggest inspiration. _

_My husband, Brendan Gibbs, was seriously injured that day. He was told that he would never walk again. But, he never let that stop him. He's now an intern at Bethesda Naval Hospital, and our six year old son Denny loves sitting on his father's lap whenever they go down a hill. Brendan's never really been the same emotionally, he's suffered PTSD and still lives with the grief of Jenny, his adoptive mother's death. _

_My brother Cole, another third of the triplets, always wanted to be a doctor. But when he was left to be the legal guardian of our niece Violet, after Andy died, he decided that having to face people being sick and dying was not what he wanted, He moved to California three years ago, a part of me always knew that he would move away to somewhere sunny, and started working with underprivileged kids. Andy's boyfriend Vincent was close with Violet, often making the trip from New York to L.A to visit the little girl who stole his heart and visit the man who he calls his best friend. I secretly wanted them to get together, but I don't think their respective partners would agree with me. _

_Oh Ducky, this wise man told me to write this book as a coping mechanism, he's now married to my Aunt Netty and they're living it up in Scotland, Israel and here in America, They never stop moving. Jimmy Palmer, the greatest dancer ever, is now the head Medical Examiner at NCIS, has 3 kids with Michelle and another on the way. _

_My Uncle Ari and his wife Kate, they're some of the best people I know. Kate's leg was injured that day, and she still walks with a slight limp today. My Uncle Ari saved my son, my little brothers and sisters, his daughter and the kids I know as my little cousins that day. They both work at NCIS now, as the new Team Leader and Senior Field Agent for the Major Case Response Team. Their daughter Mady passed away a year after the explosion when they found a tumour in her liver. They've been so strong after everything that happened, and now they have a three year old son, Jonathan, walking around their house. _

_Jethro Gibbs. This man is just…I don't know how he's still going, He's been the Director of NCIS for five years to the day this book will be released, the day that everything went to hell. His son and daughter, Riley and Hayley are now in school and they will always know what a great woman their Mother was. Gibbs always makes the time to see Brendan between his intern schedule to make sure that he's still coping with the PTSD. _

_Abby and McGee are the cutest married couple I've ever met. Even after everything that has happened, even before the explosion, they still act like they're a young couple in love. He leaves her black roses for her to find (I feel I should clarify, she's the happiest Goth. Ever.), they text each other all the time and when they look at each other…it just makes me realize that there is still happiness in the world. Abby still works in the lab at NCIS, but McGee retired early to spend more time with his family. Hey, he has the money; it's how I'm getting this book published. They have a daughter, Carmella, who attends school with all the other kids in the family…and I can tell she'll be skipping a few grades already, little blonde pigtails and all._

_I guess this leaves me with two last people… _

_Tony DiNozzo will always be my hero, the man I call Dad, who saved my brothers and I by giving us a place to live, for giving our mother a reason to believe in love, for making our family of four into a family of over twenty, for giving my mother more children to love, and for being the man to hold this family together. He was barely injured in the explosion, so he was the one that stood strong and made sure the rest of us didn't succumb to the depths of despair when we had to be strong for those hurt. He's lost a son and step-son, and still manages to get up every morning to cook the family, my little sister and brothers, Isobel, Dexter, Nickolas and Leonardo pancakes and waffles. He turned down a promotion to be Team Leader again at NCIS, instead letting Kate take the job. He's Deputy Director now, his office has a basketball hoop and ball in it. _

_This is the part where things get serious, and all those pent up emotions come out. _

_My mother Ziva, I don't know how she did it. She had triplets at 15, then Quintuplets at 30. How does that even happen? Super-uterus! She raised Cole, Andy and I alone until we were 15 before finally getting together with Tony. I still believe it was one of the greatest things that has ever happened to us, that fire, it destroyed our house but led us to a home. Ima smiled more, laughed more and was generally happier with Tony. _

_But…all good things come to an end, don't they? Well, that's what they say anyway. It was a little over a week after the explosion when she checked herself out and handed Dad those divorce papers before fleeing to Israel, leaving us all behind to deal with another thing to plague our family. I understand why she did it. She lost another son, one who was 19 and had a child himself. We were afraid for her. She went off the grid…not even our Grandfather, the Director of Mossad, could find her. _

_When I began writing this book, she was missing. Now that I'm finishing it, I know where she is._

_She found her way home. She'd been after the guys who had planted the bomb five years ago. One guy, Saleem, had her captive most of that time. I will never forget the day I opened my door and found her battered and bruised body slumped against the railing of my patio, hair short from being torn out and her body in more shades of purple then I thought possible. The look on Dad's face…the sound of Cole's voice when I told them she was home made everything seem…lighter. She gave me the courage to live life regardless of circumstance, to fight for what I knew was right, to always stick by family and to just…be. _

_I'm writing this to remember those we've lost in the past. Pete DiNozzo, who never got to see the world. Hilary, a friend we lost many years ago, but left her mark forever in ink above Cole's heart. Jenny and Faith, who were taken too quickly from our lives._

_I miss Andy, my big brother. I know can't bring him back…but whenever I see his daughter smile I know a part of him is still here. _

_And if he was here today…he'd totally kick my ass for writing a book about him.__  
_

* * *

"Geez" Tony said over Bonnie's shoulder before she closed her laptop, placing it on the table in front of her. "That was…Intense"

Bonnie shrugged. "It was hard to write. I miss him"

Tony turned around to face the mirror, adjusting his bowtie. "We all do Bonnie" he said before grinning over his shoulder. "So, I'm your hero, huh?"

Bonnie threw a pillow at Tony from the couch she was sitting on, making him turn. "I'll go get Ima if you keep being mean to me"

"I'm _so_ _scared_" Tony said sarcastically. He turned back to the mirror, letting out a girly squeal at the sudden appearance of Ziva standing in front of him, making Bonnie start laughing hysterically behind him.

"Hello Tony" Ziva smirked.

Tony smiled and leaned closer. "You shouldn't be in here. My wife might find out"

Ziva rolled her eyes. "I still do not know why you insist on this second wedding. You never filed the divorce papers"

"Good thing I didn't" Tony murmured before leaning down and capturing Ziva's lips with his own, his hands going straight up to tangle in Ziva's shoulder-length hair.

"Oh come on. I'm still in the room" Bonnie groaned.

Tony untangled a hand and waved behind his back, signalling from Bonnie to leave. With a roll of her eyes, the 24 year old grabbed her laptop and made her way out of the hotel room.

Abby crashed into her as soon as she got out the door Kate straight behind her. "I lost Ziva!" the Goth said with a huff.

"Three guesses where she is" Bonnie said, nodding at the door that was strictly groom's party only.

Abby just shook her head as Gibbs, McGee, Ari, Brendan and Cole came up the hallway to find out what was going on.

"They're missing their own wedding" McGee stated as he stood next to Abby, the couple sharing a look and a roll of the eyes.

"The kids are all downstairs with Ducky" Brendan said to Bonnie and she stood next to him, her hand going to shoulder. "They're hiding under tables"

"At least they have not gotten into the cake" Ari said with a smirk. It was a lie. He had helped the kids all sneak a bit of icing when the tables were being set up earlier that morning.

"DiNozzo couldn't keep it in his pants for an hour. I'm going downstairs for some coffee" Gibbs said, turning and walking down the hall without another word.

Inside the hotel room, nothing outside of it matter. Tony and Ziva made their way towards the bed as the newly tailored jacket hit the ground along with the bowtie, Ziva's white dress joining the growing mess seconds later.

After all, they _were_ still married. Why would they need a second wedding anyway?

* * *

_The human life is made up of choices. Yes or no. In or out. Up or down. And then there are the choices that matter. Love or hate. To be a hero or to be a coward. To fight or to give in. To live. Or die. Live or die. That's the important choice. And it's not always in our hands._


End file.
